Oxford Figures: Eight Centuries of the Mathematical Sciences

This is the story of the intellectual and social life of a community, and of its interactions with the wider world. For eight centuries mathematics has been researched and studied at Oxford, and the subject and its teaching have undergone profound changes during that time. This highly readable and beautifully illustrated book reveals the richness and influence of Oxford's mathematical tradition and the fascinating characters that helped to shape it. The story begins with the founding of the University of Oxford and the establishing of the medieval curriculum, in which mathematics had an important role. The Black Death, the advent of printing, the Civil War, and the Newtonian revolution all had a great influence on the development of mathematics at Oxford. So too did many well-known figures: Roger Bacon, Henry Savile, Robert Hooke, Christopher Wren, Edmond Halley, Florence Nightingale, Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll), and G. H. Hardy, to name but a few. Later chapters bring us to the 20th century, with some entertaining reminiscences by Sir Michael Atiyah of the thirty years he spent as an Oxford mathematician. In this second edition the story is brought right up to the opening of the new Mathematical Institute in 2013 with a foreword from Marcus du Sautoy and recent developments from Peter M. Neumann.

Table of Contents:
Marcus du Sautoy: Foreword to Second Edition I. M. James: Foreword to First Edition John Fauvel: Introduction: Eight centuries of mathematical traditions PART I: EARLY DAYS 1: John North: Medieval Oxford 2: John Fauvel and Robert Goulding: Renaissance Oxford 3: Willem Hackmann: Mathematical instruments PART II: THE 17th CENTURY 4: Allan Chapman: The first professors 5: Raymond Flood: John Wallis 6: Allan Chapman: Edmond Halley PART III: THE 18th CENTURY 7: Allan Chapman: Oxford's Newtonian school 8: John Fauvel: Georgian Oxford 9: Allan Chapman: Thomas Hornsby and the Radcliffe Observatory PART IV: THE VICTORIAN ERA 10: Keith Hannabuss: The 19th century 11: Keith Hannabuss: Henry Smith 12: Robin Wilson: Charles Dodgson 13: John Fauvel: James Joseph Sylvester PART V: THE MODERN ERA 14: Margaret E. Rayner: The 20th century 15: Sir Michael Atiyah: Some personal reminiscences Peter M. Neumann: Epilogue: Recent developments

About the Author :
John Fauvel was a Senior Lecturer in Mathematics at the Open University and a former President of the British Society for the History of Mathematics. A major figure in the international history of mathematics, he was particularly involved with relationships between the history and pedagogy of mathematics. He died in 2001. Raymond Flood is the Gresham Professor of Geometry at Gresham College, London. He is Emeritus Fellow of Kellogg College, Oxford, having formerly been Vice-President of the College. He was University Lecturer in Computing Studies and Mathematics at the Department for Continuing Education, Oxford University, and was President of the British Society for the History of Mathematics. Robin Wilson is an Emeritus Professor of Pure Mathematics at the Open University, Emeritus Professor of Geometry at Gresham College, London, and a former Fellow of Keble College, Oxford. He is currently President of the British Society for the History of Mathematics. He is involved with the popularization and communication of mathematics and its history, and has been awarded prizes by the Mathematical Association of America for his 'outstanding expository writing'.

Review :
`Review from previous edition ... separate chapters [on] the major figures on the Oxonian mathematical scene ... provide very welcome quick introductions to their subjects' life and work. In the remaining chapters ample space is devoted to the more picturesque characters of which in good English style Oxford had its share as well ... very good bed-side reading.' MAA Online `The book successfully combines good scholarship with attractive general presentation' Zentralblatt Mathematik